Teach English in Gaoji Zhen - Liaocheng Shi

Education systems have been around for centuries. Historically speaking their purpose was for children or elite individuals to learn or develop more specialized skills or knowledge. In more contemporary society, with the plethora of countries and cultures around the globe, their own perspectives and systematic practices regarding educating their citizens as well as approaches to delivering education varying perspectives are inevitable. But, how about the individuals who teach within these education systems? Teachers may be viewed in different ways depending on where they teach, but the role of a teacher is more concrete. Teachers facilitate and guide, analyze and direct, and motivate students they teach. Every student, no matter what age, has the ability to memorize, assess, and create in some capacity; even students with special needs. Teachers use their classroom management skills and lesson planning to create a comfortable yet efficient environment to allow this transformational journey to occur. All students are different. They have different personalities, abilities, learning styles, and backgrounds. A teacher’s role is to establish an environment in which students can learn specific skills or subject matter. This facilitation process is important because many factors deter students from learning. For instance, family issues at home, low self-esteem, boredom, and peer pressure to name a few. Even with the presence of potential distractions in the learning process, teachers must use strategies to guide students through. Some of these strategies include taking to account organizing the classroom in a manner that accommodates student needs, establishing routines, and building rapport through effective communication and modeling of professionalism. After establishing an environment that is conducive of learning, teachers must make formal and informal assessments about students’ ability and progress in understanding the concepts they are being taught. During class time, students may speak, write, read or respond to listening prompts. All of their responses are data points that should be analyzed and used to guide future lessons. Whether it is one students’ strength in speaking or other students need for more tactile activities, this collected information will help improve the effectiveness of teaching time. For instance, if eight out of ten students are completely confused by a concept after study and activate phases of a lesson, a new approach to the concept would have to be taken. And, the two students who did understand would need accommodations to be challenged more so not to be bored while the concept is re-taught. They may be willing to assist in leading group activities, during another activate session, to ensure the environment remains student centered. Lastly, a teacher’s role is firmly rooted in the responsibility to motivate students through cycles they must go through during the learning process. There may be moments they understand or don’t understand. There may be moments they feel like working or don’t feel like working. There may be moments even when the teacher has an ‘off day’ because of factors beyond their control. However, motivation must be present. Merriam-Webster defines motivate as providing a motive or cause for action. Teachers must bring the ‘why’ to the classroom. Do the students know why a certain lesson is important? A teacher must translate what is in a curriculum to a living breathing idea that activates students desire to discover more about it and apply it when necessary. The role of a teacher is not simple. Conceptually it may be simple for some people around the world. But, the creation, use of data to promote growth, and provision for a reason for students to grow is an amazing skill set that takes years to develop. A teacher’s role is ultimately one that cultivates transformation.